Before my future felt bleak, now it is more clear. Catalyzer Campaign Invitation ~ Fanm Limye Apprentice Entrepreneur
Talent is universal. Opportunity is not. ~ Nicholas Kristof, PBS Half the Sky Series
The Problem Despite significant relief funding, support programs and good intentions women in distressed parts of the world have few economic opportunities to truly move out of poverty & vulnerability.
Opportunity is Being Stifled by: Lack of sustainable market opportunities, both locally and globally Limited ability for women to increase their earnings and build larger businesses to employ others Insufficient access to social support, mentorship or other vital services
Why is Economic Opportunity Important for Women? Women living in poverty are at risk of: Gender- based violence Sex & child trafficking Unsafe living conditions Losing access to education Poor health outcomes Countries with empowered women: Are more prosperous Have more stability Are less prone to conflict Have higher GDPs Women invest 90% of their earnings back into their families
How do we address women s needs in a unique & sustainable way? Partner with at- risk women in distressed parts of the world who are striving to be entrepreneurs & leaders Work with local staff to establish a women- led, locally owned business entity Provide women with vocational training, business training, and employment opportunities otherwise out of their reach Real opportunities for women to thrive
Theory of Change Our mission is to provide tools, training and opportunity for women in distressed regions of the world to thrive as skilled entrepreneurs and leaders Increased Income Economic autonomy Ability to make investments in priority areas Begin financial planning (savings, budgeting, etc.) Respect & Value in Community Sense of value in community Increased respect from community members Which enables: Health & Education Increased investments in health More children in school Women investing in their own education Better nutrition Safety & Security Less tension in the family Investments in safer homes More autonomy to make decisions about safety A powerful ripple effect in the community: 1. Women to establish secure futures, build confidence & gain respect 2. Businesses to grow and support the broader community 3. Communities to become more peaceful & prosperous Families & neighbors: Children & families benefit from increased income Women entrepreneurs inspire others to lead & create change Broader community & economy: Bee- keepers, artisans, & other local businesses benefit Women's entrepreneurial network supports hundreds of women Community: Communities become more stable Vulnerable people feel more valued & hopeful
Country #1: Working in Haiti to Create Opportunity for Women
Haiti Pilot Program Launch - 2013 Our Haiti pilot project in Cap Haitien got off the ground in a powerful way in 2013 with the creation of Fanm Limye (Women Illuminated), a women- led candle business. 12 apprentice entrepreneurs (all from a network that supports women survivors of gender- based violence) were selected from a group of 31 applicants and hired at Fanm Limye 90 household members impacted indirectly, including 44 children Our work touched 151 lives in 2013 and 194 so far in 2014
Haiti Pilot Program in 2014 In 2014 our work included: Delivering more business focused training to our women entrepreneurs such as personal finance management, sales and marketing, and advanced candle making; Securing Fanm Limye s patente to allow the business to sell to locally and internationally; and Manufacturing candles for local sales opportunities.
Haiti Pilot Program Looking Forward In the months ahead, we will: Conduct a full Pilot Program Assessment in order to analyze our work and business to date; Implement program changes for on- going improvements; and Set our goals and priorities for growth in 2015 - and beyond!
Projected Impact in Haiti 450 women, men & children 40+ artisans & bee- keepers throughout Haiti 50+ women in surrounding communities 12 apprentice entrepreneurs Family members whose lives are impacted by the increased income of everyone in the supply chain Product development & quality control support Access to new markets, increased income With apprentice entrepreneurs accessing workshops & training Building business & leadership skills, promoting well- being Earning above living wage income Gaining candle- making skills Selling 2,500 candles to new markets
Work is freedom! The more women put to work the better it will be for the overall improvement of the community and country. ~ Lisette, Fanm Limye Apprentice Entrepreneur, 46 years old
Key Outcomes to Date in Haiti: How is increased income in Haiti being invested? 3% 2% 3% 2% 16% Sample of how the Fanm Limye entrepreneurs are investing their new income 2% 3% 31% Tuition Repairs/Construction Savings Group Food, transport, miscellaneous Bank deposit 5% Food in Bulk Medical Expenses 34% Helping a family member Clothing
Country #2: Working in Iraq with War Widows
U.S. State Department Sole Source Grant for PCAT s Iraq Program Supporting War Widows With the generous support of the U.S. Department of State we are moving forward with our work to empower women in Baghdad, Iraq. We have 6 Iraq program staff members and have just completed advanced training for 4 Iraqi women candle makers/entrepreneurs. We are in the process of establishing an Iraqi- owned business entity in Baghdad which will be the export hub of the business Before the end of 2014, 300 Iraqi women will have been trained in Work Readiness under our program
Prosperity Catalyst has grown significantly since it was first established 2 years ago: The global Prosperity Catalyst team is now composed of 11 team members in the U.S., Haiti and Iraq. We have built a board of 11, a team of 4 interns, and pool of pro bono consultants. We have secured 2 Department of State grants, 3 grants from UMCOR, and 2 grants from private family foundations. Our pilot program is well underway in Haiti and we are doing assessments for future growth opportunities, and we have successfully launched our Iraq program. In total we will be supporting over 500 women in the next two years. We have grown our annual budget from $23,000 to $1.4M
Will you be part of our success story this year? You can make a difference. Join our circle of Catalyzers! We are raising $400,000 for our team to be able to build on our early lessons learned and successes in Haiti and Iraq. Our goal is to support the operations and growth of the local businesses and the continued development of the women entrepreneurs. We also want to build our team and management systems to ensure operational effectiveness. 100% of our needed funding goes to our programs and our ability to successfully deliver on our mission.
YOU have been invited to join us for a specific reason. We need visionary leaders to support us to catalyze sustainable change. We need to bring our voices and resources together to create a new type of change for women.
As a Catalyzer, we are inviting you to: Give an annual $5,000+ tax deductible donation Offer advice & connections To Catalyze Impact Transformational change for women Sustained opportunity for women in Haiti & Iraq A community of visionary leaders which transcends borders
We Invite You to: Donate Share advice, strengths & skills Contribute Engage Travel to Haiti Join us for Annual Meetings & conference call updates Invite others to join the Catalyzers Magnify
Will you join this movement? Inspired leaders & visionaries A powerful, unified voice for change 50 Catalyzers Prosperity Catalyst
When women have equal control over their finances and the financial decision- making on the personal, community and national levels, everyone benefits putting money in the hands of a poor woman changes everything. - Huffington Post on Sheryl WuDunn & Nicholas Kristof s Half the Sky PBS Series
Be in touch about supporting our work by contacting Linda Strohmeyer, Board Chair at lstrohmeyer@trianglemfg.com or (201) 248-7463 www.prosperitycatalyst.org